24 hours
by On-These-Wings
Summary: Zero’s life is ending but Death give his a second chance. He has 24 hours to get a love confession from the only person he has ever loved to stay alive. When the time comes will Kaname love him? One-Shot


Zero is told that his life is being cut short to save him pain. But death gives him a chance to redeem his life… Zero has 24 hours to get a love confession from the only person he has ever loved. That confession is the only thing that will save his life. But is 24 hours enough? One-Shot

**24 Hours**

Zero glared at the girls to keep them inline as the Night Class walked by. He felt eyes boring into his back and he turned. Kaname Kuran was staring him down. Zero just glared at him. _Stupid Vampire! Distracts me every freaking time!_ Zero turned back to the screaming mass of girls. Sometimes he wished that he didn't have to be a School Guardian. It was annoying. And it meant that he had to see Kaname every day. It was just a nice reminded to him that the Pureblood was out of his league.

After the Night Class had moved off Zero went over to Yuki. "Listen I'm sorry but I can't do rounds with you tonight."

"You're always slacking off!" Yuki stamped her foot.

"This time I have a reason. I got an assignment from the Association and I have to go into town tonight to take care of it."

"Oh… fine then." Yuki rolled her eyes. "GO have fun hunting the E then. Leave all the work to me." Yuki grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast?"

"Probably not." Zero rolled his eyes this time. he hated when Yuki tried to talk him into breakfast with Chairman Kross. They were always so annoy so he avoided them at all cost.

Zero walked into town. He knew where his target was so this would be easy. Well it was easy until he engaged the Level E. It's eyes were flashing crimson as it rushed at Zero intent on killing him. Zero felt talons gouge him deeply from shoulder to hip. Roaring with pain Zero fired the Bloody Rose four times and the Level E dissipated into dust. Crimson heat was staining Zero's uniform as he collapsed. The world was starting to dim and he knew that he was dying. _At least I'm put out of my misery… a shame I never even told Kuran I fell for him…what a waste of life…_ Zero's thoughts trailed off as he heard footsteps. A little girl who looked to be about seven knelt next to him. "Kiryu Zero…"

"Who are you?" Zero groaned out.

"I'm death. And I'm here to offer you a gift."

"What?" Zero was suspicious. How could this little girl be death?

"I will let you live… but you must get Kuran Kaname to love you." Death smiled. "And you will have twenty four hours to do so. Do you accept?"

"Yes." Zero didn't even have to think. He would get the chance to tell Kuran his feelings and he knew that it was going to be impossible to get Kuran's love because he was obviously head over heels for Yuki. But another day to be able to see that Pureblood and to tell him what he really thought of him would be worth all the pain of the rejection.

"Okay then." Death placed her hand on Zero and his wounds healed up instantly. "I will see you tomorrow at this time if you have failed your death will continue just as it would have from this moment onwards. Good luck!" when Zero sat up a few seconds later he was alone.

He looked down at his ruined uniform. "Damn it! I keep ruining these things." Zero got to his feet. It was weird because he didn't even feel a twinge of pain.

The walk back to Cross Academy was a short one and it wasn't too late when Zero was walking across that campus toward the Sun Dorms. "What happened to you?" Zero's whole body heated up at the sound of that voice. Turning slowly Zero spotted Kaname leaning against a tree.

"I was hunting a Level E." Zero responded curtly. Did he dare say it now? _No. cause I'll have to live the whole day with the rejection. Tomorrow night._ Zero promised himself.

"Looks like you got pretty beat up." Kaname was standing in front of Zero now. The smell of the silver haired Hunter's blood was intoxicating all Kaname wanted to do was pin the boy down and drink from him. _If you do that you're just setting yourself up for rejection._ Kaname berated himself. He had wanted Zero for so long! But the damn Hunter seemed to hate him!

"Ya…" Zero looked down at his torn shirt and ran a pale finger along the bloody skin. Since he was looking at himself Zero missed Kaname shivering at the arousing sight. "At least I didn't die." Zero quirked a crooked grin.

"Lucky you. Did you get the E?"

"Of course."

"Very good." Kaname smiled brilliantly. _Why does he hate me? What can I do to reverse that?_ Kaname wracked his brain. He was nice to Yuki but that just seemed to piss Zero off more. _Then again the boy must like her because he gets angry every time I'm around her…does he see me as competition? What a shame… if only he knew!_ "Well I suppose you'll want to go wash up and rest. Although I dare say you do enough of that in class." Kaname smirked.

"Ya like you're perfect." Zero stormed off. _Why does he have to act so freaking haughty! No wonder I have such a hard time saying anything nice! Typical Pureblood. Look down on the poor Level E. On the up side I only have to endure for another day…_ Zero sigh. Maybe it would have been better to have just died tonight and to avoid the rejection. "Whatever. I already made my choice." Zero fumed to himself as he entered the Sun Dorms and went to his room to shower.

* * *

Zero woke up early that morning. He wasn't going to be late to class. In fact he was going to go enjoy breakfast with the Chairman and Yuki. If it was going to be the last day he might as well do it the right way. So he got to the Chairman's quarters and walked in. "Good Morning." He smiled as he took a seat at the table.

"ZERO!" Yuki leapt out of her seat and hugged Zero. "I would have thought you'd be sleeping in today like you always do."

"Oooooh! My little boy has come to eat with his daddy!" The chairman gushed. Zero just rolled his eyes.

"If it bothers you I can leave…" Zero made to stand.

"OF COURSE NOT!!! LET ME GET YOU FOOOOOOD!" The Chairman bounded out of the room to fetch food for Zero.

"You seem… happy today… are you okay?" Yuki seemed slightly suspicious. This was like the first time in ages that Zero wasn't scowling.

"Of course." Zero ruffled Yuki's hair. How had he missed the fact that she'd grown up? Zero shook his head. It was a shame that he seemed to have missed so much since he came here and was always absorbed in the past.

"HERE YOU GO!" Chairman Kross put the loaded plate of pancakes in front of Zero.

"Thank you."

"Oh he said thank youuuuuuuuu!" Kross clapped his hands. Yuki giggled. Zero just shook his head and dug into his food. Somehow he'd also missed how much Kross cared about him. If Zero had let him Kross would have been like a father… but that was a lost opportunity now…

After they ate Zero and Yuki went off to class. IT was just as boring as ever and Zero didn't really pay attention. He'd rather think… after all today was his last day. He really didn't want to focus on what he would have changed if he'd continue to live because living was out of the question. Kuran would never love him. So instead he thought through all the good things that had happened to him. Things that he was proud of. Things that he hoped people would remember him for. It seemed that before he knew it classes were over for the day and it was time to escort the Night Class to their lessons.

Zero felt his stomach clench as he kept the girls in line and waited for the gates to open. When they did Zero broke out into a cold sweat as he looked for Kaname. It wasn't hard to miss the beautiful Pureblood. What a shame Zero had never said anything earlier… he had imagined so many ways to tell Kaname but he knew that none of them were correct because Kuran could never love him, a Level E.

"Good Evening Zero." Kaname said as he walked past. It was his newest campaign. To be nice to Zero and hopefully get the boy to notice him.

Zero shivered. And he swallowed to try and wet his dry throat to speak. It was now or never. "Good evening Kuran." He breathed in. "I need to speak with you after you class." Zero said in an even tone as his insides twisted.

"Of course. I'll meet you by the fountain." Kaname smiled and continued walking. His heart leapt he was going to have a private meeting with Zero tonight!

Zero tried to conceal his relief. At least he'd be able to say it and he'd only have a few minutes to wait till he died. All he had to do right now was wait till Kaname got out of class.

Yuki and Zero walked the grounds together on their patrol. Zero checked his watch. It was almost time to meet Kaname. "Listen Yuki why don't you go back and sleep. I've got to meet,"

"Kaname-sama. I heard you ask. Please don't hurt him." Yuki pleaded. She hated how her two best friends always fought. She wished they would just be friends! After all she thought they looked so cute together! She and Yori always talked about how to get Kaname and Zero together… but alas none of their devious plans would ever work because the two seemed to hate each other.

"I won't relax. I just have to tell him something."

"What?" Yuki's eyes widened.

Zero wasn't going to tell Yuki then he realized he'd be dead within the hour so it didn't matter. "That I've fallen for him and have liked him for a while now." Zero waited for the reprimand from Yuki because he was pretty sure she liked Kaname.

"OH MY GOSH! NOW WAY! Yori totally lost! I can't wait to demand…" Yuki realized she was talking out loud and stopped before she revealed some very intimate details of her life.

"Wait what?" Zero grabbed Yuki's shoulders and bent down so he could look her straight in the eyes.

"Yori and I have been wishing you two together for ages now! and I bet that you'd be the first to confess and she said Kaname so I win the bet."

"But I thought you liked Kaname…"

"OH I do. He's a very good friend." Yuki smiled. "Now hurry or you'll be late… and I need to go wake up Yori!" Yuki flushed slightly as she started walking off. Zero knew this was going to be the last time he ever saw her.

"Hey Yuki." She stopped and looked at Zero. "You're awesome. Thanks for always helping me." Zero smiled then walked off to meet Kaname.

The Pureblood was already there when Zero arrived. He looked Kaname over and couldn't help but notice that he looked just as handsome as always in his perfectly tailored white uniform. "Kaname." Zero smiled as he walked up to the brunette.

"Ah Zero…"

"I hope I didn't make you wait long. I was patrolling with Yuki." Zero said as if to explain his lateness.

"Oh. And how was that?" Kaname wasn't sure why Zero asked him here but if it was for a bad reason then he just wanted to keep up the boring small talk as long as he could.

"Same as always." Zero shrugged. "Listen Kaname…"

"Listen Zero if you asked me here to lecture me on one thing or another that you hate about me just drop. I don't get why you hate me. I have done nothing wrong to you." Kaname said evenly as he fixed Zero with a stare.

"How nice of you to jump to conclusions." Zero said through gritted teeth. If he didn't only have 36 minutes to live then he would have just walked off. But as it was he pushed aside his pride. "Now if you would just let me finish… I'm on a bit of a time line. I asked you here because I wanted to talk to you where none of you little cohorts would harm me for what I'm about to say and do." Kaname didn't like the sound of that so he readied himself if Zero was going to attack. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time… so just hear me out." Zero looked away from Kaname as he spoke. He didn't want to see the mirth in those crimson eyes. "I don't know when it started but… somewhere along the way I fell for you…" Zero swallowed and Kaname couldn't believe his ears! ZERO WAS CONFESSING! There was no way he was going to waste this night. But he was also going to let Zero finish before he started to gush. "I'm in love with you Kaname Kuran… and I just thought you should know." Zero bit his lip. Then on impulse he took three steps to Kaname and pressed their lips together. His heart was racing and he pulled back quickly so he didn't have to be rejected by Kaname. The Pureblood stood with his eyes closed as he logged this event in his brain.

Zero waited for a second and when Kaname kept his eyes closed Zero knew he was rejected so he turned and ran. He didn't want to hear it. His time was running out. He looked at his watch and saw that he only had 20 minutes. Kaname opened his eyes, Zero was gone. Spinning around Kaname looked for the ex-human but he didn't see him anywhere. _Damn it! Where the hell did he get off to? He didn't even give me a chance to reply! Damn!_ Kaname started walking off to look for Zero. He wasn't going to let the teen off without at least saying how he felt towards him.

The stars twinkled down at Zero as he lay on the grass. He was pretty sure that he'd be safe to go back to his dorm because Kaname had probably gone to the Moon Dorms. But after checking his watch Zero knew he wouldn't have enough time… sighing Zero twitched as pain coursed through him. He knew that he was dying now and there were no third chances. _At least I told Kaname how I felt about him… and I kissed him! Why did I do that!? _Zero groaned first in despair then in pain as he felt the heat of his blood staining his shirt. Curling up on his side Zero tried to ignore the pain and think about Kaname and the kiss.

Kaname smelled blood. Well more precisely Zero's blood and he had the teen pinpointed in seconds. Using his Pureblood speed Kaname was next to Zero in a second. "Why did you run off like that?" He asked as he knelt. Zero's heart froze. Here came the rejection right at his death. Fantastic. "I didn't get to tell you…"Zero had shifted slightly and Kaname saw the blood. "What happened?" He rolled Zero over but the silver haired teen kept his hands clamped over his abdomen.

"Tell me what?"

"You answer my question first! What happened?" Kaname's senses were roaming over Zero. As much as he wanted the explanation was as much as Zero wanted to hear what Kaname was going to say. He also knew that he didn't have much time… maybe a minute, two at the most.

"In a sec. What did you want to tell me?" Zero just had to hear it. Even if it was rejection. It's not like it'd hurt much more than his body hurt now.

"That I love you. Okay. Tell me what happened to you!" Kaname's was practically shaking with worry. But he managed to flush at his confession. Zero's muscles that had been tense with pain the second before relaxed and he relaxed into the grass. "Zero don't die!" Kaname grabbed Zero's face.

"I'm not going to die…" Zero smiled up at Kaname. "As for what happened… it's a long story that doesn't really matter now." Kaname's eyes were wide with shock.

"But you're bleeding… and you were bloody last night…" Kaname's eyes were full of concern as his hand cupped Zero's chin.

"I'm not bleeding anymore. And it was from the same wounds I had last night." Zero couldn't keep from smiling widely even as he admitted the gruesome details. He was just so thrilled that Kaname had feeling for him. He couldn't hold it back anymore. Zero Leaned in and kissed Kaname. The pureblood didn't argue or hesitate before he kissed Zero back. When Kaname broke the kiss he rested his forehead against Zero's.

"You want to go back to my dorm, tell me what really happened to you, then change out of you bloody clothes… because to be honest your blood is driving me crazy." Kaname's eyes sparkled crimson.

"Fair enough." Zero stood and offered a hand to Kaname. The handsome Pureblood took it and when he was on his feet he didn't let it go. He held Zero's hand all the way back to his rooms in the Moon Dorms. The whole way Zero smiled and thanked all the gods he knew for letting him have Kaname. The impossible had happened and he had Kaname and he wasn't going to die anytime soon. Zero pulled Kaname to a stop in the Moon Dorm courtyard. Kaname raised a questioning eyebrow which was replied to with a kiss. Zero enjoyed it for a long minute before he pulled back. And smiled. Kaname returned the smile.

"Um… this might be wired… but… do you want to be my boyfriend?" Kaname asked shyly.

"I would love to be your boyfriend." They kissed again for a few minutes before they made their way to Kaname's quarters.

My first one shot… I've only done series… so how was it?


End file.
